The Philly Ice Cream Scoop Event @RTM on 7/29 –Beck’s Bananas Foster Flambé

 

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice Cream! Do the memories come flooding back when you hear those words? Now you can make long lasting memories for your family by attending the biggest event of the summer! We’re so excited to be part of the Reading Terminal Market‘s event, The Philly Ice Cream Scoop on 7/29! Don’t miss this event from 10am-4pm in Center Court!

We’ll be serving up our famous Beck’s Cajun Café’s mouthwatering Banana’s Foster Flambé.  We’re teaming up with Bassetts Ice Cream , along with Franklin Fountain, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, Lil’ Pop Shop, Zsa’s Ice Cream, and more than 20 other merchants to dish up delicious frozen treats. Come visit Beck’s on July 29th and order some great tasting Bananas Foster Flambé! – follow Chef Bill’s video steps and you’ll make the best tasting Bananas Foster Flambé!

Add Some Flower-Power to Your Dessert Tonight

 

When you walk into The Philadelphia Flower Show fresh scents, clean air and the sound of bee’s just seem to take over.  All five of your senses are instantly awake: Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, and Smell.

Enclosed in a glass container to showcase the value of insects to plants are the beautiful bees that make this possible.  When we see flowers, we don’t typically think of them as food, nutrients or antioxidants, but they are.  Flowers, particularly those with deep colors, are natural antioxidants, and the pollen the bees bring to each plant helps fend off allergies.

Many of the merchants highlighted beautiful landscaping designs – with an emphasis on creating green gardens that include hardscaping, soil, sculpture and eco-friendly plants.

Many flowers in a green garden are actually edible.  These flowers are enjoyed more abundantly in the spring and summer months. They have the added bonus of making any dish attractive and magical. Blossoms that make good eye candy in your desserts and meals include Pansy, Rose, Squash Blossoms, Dahlia, Orchid, and Marigold.

Of course, not everyone is keen on cooking with flowers.  One easy way to start introducing edible flowers into your meals is with a dessert that has petals as part of its ingredients. 

Got King Cake? Get Your Mardi Gras On!

 

Order King Cake from Beck’s Cajun Café.

If you have been lucky enough to experience Mardi Gras in person, you’ve probably yelled, “Throw me some beads!” and enjoyed catching lots of treasure.   During this flamboyant, loud and fun-filled carnival atmosphere, one tradition that appeals to all ages: an extravagant and gaudy, multi-colored purple, green and gold dessert called King Cake.

The colors that make up the King Cake include purple for justice; green for faith and gold for power.

If you’ve never had a slice of King Cake, and are lucky enough to have the trinket in your slice of cake, you probably are wondering why is there a baby in your cake?   Tradition dictates the use of a small trinket, usually, a small plastic baby (representing the baby Jesus) which traditionally awards privileges and brings good fortune to whoever discovers it – in the past, it was made of porcelain or even gold.  It also brings obligations including hosting the next King Cake Party.

Quickly place your order for King Cake by calling Beck’s Cajun Café at the Reading Terminal Market (215) 592-0505 or the 30th Street Station (215) 282-2800. 

Mardi Gras King Cake Party @ Reading Terminal Market!

 

Mardi Gras comes early this year at the Reading Terminal Market. Join two-time James Beard guest chef Bill Beck for a King Cake party on Sun., Feb. 7, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sample classic Nawlins’ dishes, participate in a king cake decorating contest and meet Philadelphia’s Marilyn Russell, host of Mornings with Marilyn on 95.7 BEN-FM and Tony Luke Jr., cheese steak magnate and host of Food Mashups. A $5 donation is requested to support MANNA.

“Let the good times roll with us right here in the Reading Terminal Market,” said chef Beck. “It’s a great way to kick-of Mardi Gras and support an organization that nourishes people’s bodies and spirits.”

The event will kick-off with a cooking demonstration in the market’s City Kitchen. Chef Bill will prepare traditional items such as oyster bisque and smoked collards with ham hocks and Tabasco. He will also introduce new creations like Eggs St. Rita, a take on eggs Benedict with grilled corn bread, shrimp and andouille scrapple, spinach and Creole Hollandaise.

A celebrity judged king-cake decorating contest follows at 12:30. Donors to MANNA will pair off to create their own masterpiece using a special “mystery” kit. Marilyn Russell, Tony Luke Jr., blogger Kass of Philly Food Girl and Jeff Belonger of MyPhillyAlive.com will number among the judges.

Beck’s Cajun Café has become known for King Cakes in recent years, providing the sweet and colorful pastry for Mardi Gras. The cake named for the biblical story of the three kings, is a ring of braided brioche topped with icing and sugar in purple, green and gold, representing justice, faith and power.

The cake usually contains a small plastic baby, said to represent the Baby Jesus. Tradition holds that the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket is traditionally awarded various privileges and obligations including hosting the next king cake party. Those wanting to order a King Cake are encouraged to call Beck’s Cajun Café at 215-592-0505 or 215-382-2800.

Beck’s Cajun Cafe is known for its exotic and spicy Creole cuisine made with ingredients from the Big Easy. With locations at Philadelphia’s historic Reading Terminal Market and Amtrak’s 30th Street Station, Beck’s offers authentic dishes including gumbos, jambalaya, muffaletta and bread pudding. Beck’s is the home of the Train Wreck, a culinary creation where po boy meets cheese steak with a name the pays homage to the reading terminal markets train shed history.

Find more about Beck’s Cajun Café at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BecksCajunCafe
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BecksCajunCafe
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/s/beck’s%20cajun%20cafe
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=beck%27s+cajun+cafe

Beck’s Barbecued Onion Meatloaf

Meatloaf is a perennial favorite. With Beck’s Barbecued Onions it reaches another level.

This was sent to us by a customer and loyal fan of our pantry products…She wishes to remain anonymous, and after trying her meatloaf we can see why.  She might have a crowd outside her house if we revealed her identity.

Desperation often leads to discovery, as is the case with this recipe.  I was planning to make meatloaf for my family’s dinner, but learned rather late in the process that we were out of the onions, carrots, and celery that I usually saute and blend with the meat.  Determined to avoid an evening shop, and short on time if meatloaf tartare was not to be our dinner, I began to search the cupboards.  Thank you Beck’s;  your Barbecued Onion Relish saved the dinner and the day.  Here’s how:

BBQ Onion Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs 85% lean ground beef

1 jar Beck’s Barbecued Onion Relish, 3/4 jar for blending w/ meat, remaining for topping/garnish

2 eggs

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup ketchup

Heat oven to 375.  Thoroughly mix all ingredient except ketchup and 1/4 jar bbq onions.  Shape meatloaf into oblong rectangle in baking pan and top with ketchup.  Bake 45-50 mins til cooked through.  During last 5 minutes of cooking, top with remaining bbq onions if desired.  Let sit for 5 minutes after removing from oven.  Serve and enjoy.    Never bother chopping onions, carrots and celery for meatloaf again!

Beck’s @ 30th Street Featured by Daily Pennsylvanian’s 34th St.

Special thanks to Faryn at University of Pennsylvania for this great review!

Beck’s Cajun Cafe: Cajun (Food) Court

Skip the 28–hour train: Beck’s Cajun Cafe takes you to Louisiana in minutes

By FARYN PEARL

Shayla Cole

It’s strange to get such fine food in a food court. But that’s where the excellent Beck’s Cajun Cafe lies—right between a KFC and a nameless take–out Chinese stand. Of course, most people won’t have the luxury of sitting down and savoring Beck’s Louisiana–style offerings. They’ll be catching a train, grabbing gumbo on the go. That’s right: Beck’s is in the middle of 30th Street Station. While the venue might not scream “some of the best Cajun cooking in Philadelphia,” the food does.

And it’s the food that matters to chef and owner Bill Beck, who owned a Latin restaurant before starting the first Beck’s Cajun in Reading Terminal Market. A chef by trade, he was always attracted to Cajun cooking, an amalgamation of Latin, French and Southern cuisine. In talking to Beck, it was clear that he was passionate about bringing this style of cooking to Philadelphia and about the food he was serving.

So let’s get to the food. Namely, Beck serves alligator, and it is delicious. Honestly, my comrades and I were a little (read: completely) terrified when the Gator Gumbo ($6.95) came out. One bite and we were converts.

Alligator meat is surprisingly lean and flavorful, like chicken but more savory. Add that exotic meat (which, by the way, is authentic— they ship it from Louisiana) to a spicy and richly flavored gumbo stock and you have yourself a meal that’s truly crave–worthy. For favorites, the mini–cornbread loaves ($1.25) were a close second. Golden and crispy on the outside, warm and airy on the inside, they were the kind of pastry you read about in Martha Stewart magazines, but can never seem to recreate on your own. Also of note were the beignets ($3.95), a classic Louisiana–style doughnut smothered with fine confectioner’s powder (which got all over my pants but was otherwise totally worth it), and the Train Wreck Po Boy ($7.95), a hulking mass of steak and pork covered in cheese and sandwiched between crispy French bread—an alternate cheesesteak to rival Pat’s and Geno’s. The only disappointment was the Jambalaya Bowl ($6.95), the quintessential Cajun dish. It just didn’t have the spiciness or ingenuity of the other dishes; even the added kick of Beck’s own 3 Devils Hot Sauce ($6.99, part of their new retail line) couldn’t elevate it to the others’ level.

I know it’s no fun to read a gushingly positive review. But with incredible authentic Cajun cuisine—seriously, alligator—and the friendliest service around, it’s hard to find anything bad to say about Beck’s Cajun Cafe. Next time you need to go to 30th Street Station, give yourself a 30–minute head start and check out Beck’s. It will be worth the trip.

 

Shayla Cole | 34th Street

World’s Biggest Train Wreck Sandwich

We set the record yesterday–making our biggest train wreck ever, a 6 foot long sub of Best of Philly sandwich heaven.

We started with a gigantic loaf of hoagie bread…

Then we sauteed steak meat with caramelized onions, salami and andouille sausage and topped it all with American cheese.  While that was cooking up to a delicious blend of spicy goodness, we slathered a healthy dose of our Creole Mayo on the bread. 

And finally, we filled the bread with the steak mixture, closed it up and sliced it up for all to enjoy. And no, there was not a piece left.

Missed it? Come on into Beck’s for a regular sized version of this Best of Philly winning sandwich!

Beck’s Rollin’ on the River

What a great time we had at the Stotes Regatta last week!

We catered the entire weekend for the BCC team (Bethesda Chevy Chase) and it was a blast.

The theme of the weekend was a “Cajun Tailgate” and we had it covered!  The crew team and their families enjoyed an assortment of po’boys:   grilled vegetable; blackened chicken; even a black angus burger po’boy.

They also had chicken corn chowder and spicy Cajun Caesar Salad.  And for the traditionalists on the riverbanks, we offered hot dogs, potato salad, fruit salad, and all the fixin’s for an all-American tailgate picnic.

We love doing offsite catering!  If you have a party or special event call Chef Bill at 215 592 0505, he’ll knock your socks off .

Creole Turkey Reuben Recipe

Sent in by a customer:  Creole Turkey Reuben is a delicious way to use Beck’s Creole Mayo.  Yummmm.

Spread two slices of rye (or wheat) bread with Creole Mayo.  Lay them in a lightly oiled skillet, and top with a few slices turkey, swiss cheese, and a scoop of sauerkraut.  Grill until the bread is toasted, the cheese is melted and the fillings are heated through.  Put the sandwich together, and never look at lunch the same way again.

We can barely keep this stuff on the shelves.  Our customers are crazy for our Creole Mayo, and with good reason.  It provides a healthy dose of New Orleans Jazz to every dish it plays with.

Beck’s Garden District Salad

 

At La Cucina’s “Girls Night Out” Cajun Cooking Class, Chef Bill Beck shared his tricks of the trade

The Garden District in New Orleans is world famous as an example of Southern architecture.

The District earned its name because of the mansions built in this spot for the wealthy plantation owners: their supersized houses initially featured glorious oversized gardens.

As the City grew during the late 1800s, a number of the owners of these spectacular mansions sold off parcels of their land and smaller Victorian houses were built on the site of these former gardens.

Today, the Garden District is a unique melting pot of architectural styles, characterized by “a mélange of high styles gleaned from not just the Spanish and French, but also from the Italians, the British, and the “Greek Revival.” (for further info, see About.com’s insightful overview on the District’s lineage.)

The food emanating from New Orleans reflects the varied influences that shape and define this unique city – which is what makes the New Orleans cuisine so attractive.

In tribute to this heritage, Chef Bill Beck of Beck’s Cajun Cafe rolled out his Garden District Salad at a recent cooking class held at La Cucina in Reading Terminal Market.  The classes, designated as a “Girls’ Night Out,” focused on Cajun cooking with Chef Bill demonstrating a series of New Orleans small plates, including this Garden District Salad.

The salad is colorful and evocative of sunshine-laden days spent in New Orleans….

Ingredients

(This salad serves 4 people.  Scale up quantities dependent on the size of your dinner party!)

1x jar of marinated artichokes

4 stems of hearts of palm, cut into 1/2 inch rounds

1 red pepper roasted and skin removed, then cut into strips.

Spring mix salad greens

For the vinaigrette dressing

(The recipe below produces approximately 14 oz of dressing.  As the recipe includes raw egg we would not recommend storing the dressing for any length of time.  Use immediately.  If you would like to omit the egg then the dressing will keep for longer, perhaps 2-3 days, in the fridge.

2 tsps of Dijon mustardbsps olive oil

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 egg white

6oz of virgin olive oil

4oz of vegetable oil

2 tbsps of finely minced cloves

2-3 tbsps of water

1 1/2 tbsps of honey

Juice of a lemon

1 1/2 oz Apple Cider

1 1/2 oz Champagne Cider

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Mix first three ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Slowly add the two types of oil to this mix. Add approx 2oz at a time (Note the virgin olive oil provides a strong flavor.  To balance this out and ensure that the salad is not overwhelmed, Chef Bill prefers to use vegetable oil in tandem with the virgin oil.)

3. Add chives, water – to thin the dressing slightly – and the honey.

4. Add the juice of the lemon and then add the two vinegars a little at a time — to stretch out the dressing.

5. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Toss Spring mix salad in dressing, then add in other prepared salad ingredients (artichokes, pepper, hearts of palm.)

The resulting salad has great texture and crunch.  Enjoy!